Closure apparatus for treatment chambers



Sept. 17, 1935 H. 5. LEE

CLOSURE APPARATUS FOR TREATMENT CHAMBERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

5.3 GA K16 9 4,

/ Original Filed Feb. 13, 1952 ATTORNEYS.

Sept. 17, 1935. H s E 2,@14,94l

CLOSURE APPARATUS FOR TREATMENT CHAMBERS Original Filed Feb. 13, 1952 3Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

flurry ,5. Lee

ATTORNEYS.

,Spt. 17, 1935. H LE 2,014,941

CLOSURE APPARATUS FOR TREATMENT CHAMBERS Original Filed Feb. 13, 1932 3Sheets-Sheet 3 f INVENTOR. v 50 flaw cg 0. Lee

ATTORNEYS.

- wy/m tente' Sept. l7, i935 CLOSURE APPATUS FOR TREATMENT CHIERS HarryS. lLee, Detroit, Mich.

Original application February 13, 1932, Serial No. 592,774. Divided andthis application October 4, 1934, Serial No. 746,838

6 (Jlaims.

invention relates to improvements in apparatus for manufacturing,treating, and cooling cement clinker and particularly to improvements inthe treatment chamber wherein the clinker is cooled following itsdischarge from the kiln.

This application is a division of my application Ser. -No. 592,774 filedFebruary 13, 1932. In such parent application I disclose and claimimprove- 10 cuts in the process of and apparatus for manufacturing andtreating cement clinker. The invention here claimed relates toimprovements in the apparatus associated with the clinker treatmentchamber and having to do with the separation of said chamber intoseparate compartments or zones.

One compartment is designed for the passage oi air through the clinkertravelling through the compartment so as to cool the clinker and heatthe air. This compartment communicates with the kiln to furnish heatedair to the kiln as secondary air at a predetermined high temperature toobtain the maximum efliciency of functioning Within the kiln.

The other compartment is primarily a cooling compartment wherein thetemperature of the clinker passing therethrough is lowered to thedesired degree for discharge by passage of air through the clinker. Airis taken from this compartment for employment as primary air for thefuel teed to the Elm.

The improvements here claimed have to do with the provision of improvedmeans separating said treatment chamber into compartments and improvedmechanism associated with the cooling of said means.

The various objects, advantages, and meritorious features of thisinvention will more fully appear from the following description,appended claims and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the cement manufacturing and cooling plantwherein my invention is embodied,

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on the line %---2 Of Fi 1,

clinker from its lower end and. through a vertical chute 22 into atreatment chamber indicated generally as 26. A collector pan 24 islocated in one end of the treatment chamber underneath the chute 22 andthe clinker falling through the chute 5 is deposited therein. Atravelling drag chain 28 is carried on sprockets 30 and 32 to passthrough the chamber 26 over a stationary grate in which extendslengthwise of the chamber. This drag chain advances the cement clinkeras a moving 10 bed through the chamber over the grate. A belt 3t drivingthrough avariable speed mechanism 36 drives a chain 38 which in turndrives the clinker chain 28 to advance the clinker bed.

This cooling chamber 26 is jacketed as shown 15 in Figs. 2, 3, and 4.The inner wall 412 thereof is formed of suitable refractory materialwhich will withstand the heat and abrasive action of the clinker at itshighest temperature. The outer wall of the chamber is indicated as it.The en- 20 tire chamber structure is supported upon suitable standardsor legs 46.

A suitable blower M (Fig. 2) driven by a control variable speed electricmotor 50 feeds air into a manifold 52. This manifold is provided with a25 series of air outlet pipes 54 through which air is discharged intothe chamber below the grate so that it enters underneath the grate atspaced apart intervals therealong and moves upwardly clinker is beingadvanced. This trough is proof pipes 58 from the manifold and goes upthrough the grate and over the cement clinker being advanced thereoverand is segregated so that a selected portion of the hottest air is takeninto the kiln as secondary air to obtain the maximum efficiency offunctioning within the kiln. This air is taken into the kiln at apredetermined temperature which is suited for the needs of com- 55bustion as described in my parent application Ser. No. 592,774 supra.

The chamber is divided into a plurality of compartments by a series ofswingable gates or valve like levelling members indicated generally as64. Three of these are here shown. One of these gates is shown in detailin Fig. 3. Air is taken from these separate compartments at certainpredetermined temperatures bearing a certain relationship to each otherfor different purposes as more clearly set forth in my parentapplication Ser. No. 592,774.

This application pertains primarily to the mounting and sealing of thesegates within the jacketed chamber and the provision of the chamber withthe plurality of gates arranged therein as defined. Each of the gates ishollow and carried by a hollow shaft which is provided with improvedsealing means where it is mounted within the chamber walls. These hollowshafts communicate with the manifold to receive air therefrom to coolthe gates. These gates are provided with removable wearing shoes 66 anda specific interior construction which features are disclosed andclaimed in my Patent No. 1,941,561.

The gates serve other purposes than merely to divide the interior of thechamber into separate compartments for the segregation of air passedover the clinker for they also serve as levelling means to level off theclinker bed, and the first gate provides a barrier to prevent airflowing directly up through the clinker chute into the kiln. As shown inFigs. 3 and 4 there is a seal provided about each of the rotatableshafts about which a gate is mounted. The intermediate gate isadjustable longitudinally in slot 68 to vary the size of thecompartments formed thereby in the cooling chamber and this seal is soconstructed as to maintain a seal while permitting such adjustment.

Each shaft 10 which carries a gate 64 extends through the jacketed wallof the chamber and is provided on one end with a counterweight 12 whichholds the gate down upon the clinker bed. Where the shaft extendsthrough the chamber wall the seal is provided. Shaft III is shown ashaving a suitable bearing support in the outer wall 44. This support isshown more clearly in Figs. 3 and 4. There is a bracket 14 and a plateor casting I6 which in the case of the intermediate adjustable gate isof suflicient length to cover at any adjusted position the slot 59formed in the outer wall. The bearing proper is indicated as I8. Theslot 68 in the inner wall is covered by the plate 80 through which theshaft extends. This plate 80 is supported upon a bracket 82.

Spaced apart collars I4 encircle the shaft and are held in spaced apartrelationship by studs 86 and expansion springs 88 which urge the collarsagainst the side walls of the chamber and hold the plate 80 against theinner wall 42 so as to prevent leakage at such point notwithstanding theadjustment of the intermediate gate. The non-adjustable gate has acorresponding mounting and collar as described but the mounting does nothave to provide for covering slots through the side walls as these arenot there needed.

Air passes from the manifold 52 to the shafts ll of the two forwardgates and out into an exhaust manifold 90 which communicates with thepassageway 92 shown in Fig. 2. Flexible conduits 94 are provided forconducting air to and from the shaft 10 of the intermediate gate so asto permit of adjustment of this intermediate gate lengthwise of thechamber.

During the operation of the machine air ispassed from the manifold 52through the swingably supportable gates and the shafts upon which theyare mounted and maintains the gates at a sufllciently cool temperatureso that they are not rapidly worn away by the abrasive action and theheat within the cooling clinker chamber as such heat approaches veryhigh limits. As the clinker is conveyed through the chambers itcontinues to cool and it is apparent that the air passed through theclinker in its earlier stages of advancement is hotter than that passedthrough in its later stages. By adjusting the intermediate gatelongitudinally of the conveyor, it is readily apparent that thetemperature as well as the amount ofair collected in the various stagesof clinker advancement can be varied.

What I claim is:

1. The combination in a jacketed chamber through which heated materialis adapted to be passed of valve mechanism suspended within the chamberfor swinging movement, said valve mechanism comprising a hollow shaftextending through the jacketed walls of said chamber and a hollow valveflap carried by said shaft and communicating therewith, closure meansencircling the shaft adjacent the inner wall of the chamber, and springmeans arranged between said walls holding said closure means againstsaid inner wall.

2. The combination in a jacketed chamber through which heated materialis adapted to be advanced of means for advancing heated materialtherethrough, valve means supported within said chamber to engage theheated material and advance therethrough and comprising a hollow shaftextending through the jacketed walls of said chamber, meanscommunicating with the ends of said hollow shaft to cause cooling fluidto flow therethrough, a closure plate enclosing said shaft between thejacketed walls of said chamber and bearing against the outer surface ofthe innermost wall, and means yieldably urging said closure plateagainst said wall.

3. The combination in a jacketed chamber through which heated materialis adapted to be advanced of means for advancing heated materialtherethrough, valve means supported within said chamber to engage theheated material being advanced therethrough comprising a hollow shaftextending through the jacketed walls 0'1 said chamber, meanscommunicating with the ends of said hollow shaft to cause cooling fluidto flow therethrough, a pair of closure plates encircling said shaftbetween the jacketed walls of said chamber, and means holding saidclosure plates against said walls about said shaft.

4. The combination in a jacketed chamber through-which heated materialis advanced, of a valve pivotally supported within said chamber andcomprising a shaft journalled within the walls of said chamber andextending therethrough, a closure plate encircling said shaft at eachend between the jacketed walls of the chamber and bearing against one ofthem sealing the shaft bearing opening.

5. In a chamber through which heatermaterial is adapted to be advanced,-a gate pivotally the walls so as to permit adjustment of the gate i5With respect to the chamber, a plate mounted about each end or saidshaft having a size sum cient to cover the slot at any position to whichthe gate may be adjusted, and spring means car- 7 ried by said shaft forresiliently urging said plates against the walls of said chamber toprevent the escape of heat from the interior of the chamber through theslots.

6. The combination in a jacketed chamber through which heated materialis adapted to be advanced, of a valve pivotally supported within thechamber upon a shaft extending transversely therethrough and through thejacketed walls of the chamber, a bearing for eachend oi the shaftadjacent each outer jacketed wall at the chamber 6. supported torslidable movement lengthwise at the chamber to permit adjustment of thevalve Within the chamber lengthwise oi the chamber,

said outer wall of the chamber provided with a shaft opening oversizethe shaft to permit or adjustment of the shaft longitudinally of thechamber, said bearing having a part associated therewith adapted tocover the shaft opening through the outer wall of the chamber at anyadjusted position of the shaft, said inner walls of the chamber providedwith a shaft opening over size the shaft to accommodate for adjustmentoi the shaft longitudinally of the chamber, a closure plate for each endof the shaft encircling the shaft and arranged between the two walls ofthe chamber, means holding said closure plate to a cover the shaftopening through the inner wall of the chamber at any position ofadjustment of 15 the shaft longitudinally of the chamber.

